How much impact will the salary cap have on the final cuts for the Oilers? The Oilers have some financial restraints that could ultimately impact the final decisions. Let’s break down how much salary the Oilers have invested right now using each player’s cap hit from the numbers I received from the NHLPA.

These 20 players are a combined $50.83 million towards the cap, meaning they have $5.97 million to spend on three players before they reach the ceiling of $56.8 million. The Oilers could keep 22 players if they wanted to, but considering that would force them to expose another player to waivers, I find that highly unlikely.

So here are the five candidates who I think are in the running to fill out the final three spots.

Even if the Oilers keep Pisani, Nilsson and Pouliot – combined $5.3 million – they are still under the cap. So technically, the Oilers can keep any combination of players and they will still be under the cap. Clearly, Steve Tambellini doesn’t want to have only a miniscule $670,000 of cap space all season long, because that would handcuff him from making any sort of significant moves.

PISANI COULD PLAY

Pisani skated today and at times he was on a line with Brule and Nilsson, but he will be a game-time decision tomorrow. He wants to play, but it’s up to the medical staff, so we’ll have to wait until the morning skate tomorrow to find out if he is in.

Moreau and Pouliot did not skate and both are out for tomorrow, and you can expect to see Khabibulin play the entire game. Well, they are hoping he tops up his fluids and is able to play the full 60 minutes.

One of Canada's most versatile sports personalities. Jason hosts The Jason Gregor Show, weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m., on TSN 1260, and he writes a column every Monday in the Edmonton Journal. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JasonGregor

@ Ogden Brother:
by taking the 2 guys that barely total 1mil over the two guys that add up to almost 5mil is a bonus because you get that much flexibility in the cap for future transactions (you know like deadline deals, absorbing salary for high picks, etc.)

I hope I'm not missing something obvious, but why not start the year with the miniscule $670,000 of cap space, then if the opportunity to make a move arises, waive who you need to waive and recall someone in order to create the cap space later?

I suppose the most significant risk is that by not waiving a player with the main NHL waiver herd, it becomes more likely that a player won't clear, but I doubt that's a risk management would shy away from.

Why would they care about "Best Value" now if they can swap (for example) Nilsson for Stone mid-season when the cap space becomes necessary.

I don't understand the love-affair with cap space unless it's being utilized. As long as management is capable of creating the exact same cap space later, I'd much rather have a better, albeit overpayed, player on the roster to start the season.

@ Ogden Brother:
by taking the 2 guys that barely total 1mil over the two guys that add up to almost 5mil is a bonus because you get that much flexibility in the cap for future transactions (you know like deadline deals, absorbing salary for high picks, etc.)

All this “Best Value” talk is like we’re trying to create a “wins per $” stat akin to “points per game”.
If Phoenix has a higher wins/$ than Detroit but still misses the playoffs it’s nothing to brag about.

@ Ogden Brother:
the way i look at is those 2 players didnt help us at all in making a push last year, so why bank on them to do it this year?

id rather have the opportunity to acquire someone better during the season then get stuck with them from start to finish because some chump on ON decided that team success is directly related to how close teams are to the cap. get real.

@ Ogden Brother:
the way i look at is those 2 players didnt help us at all in making a push last year, so why bank on them to do it this year?
id rather have the opportunity to acquire someone better during the season then get stuck with them from start to finish because some chump on ON decided that team success is directly related to how close teams are to the cap. get real.

Your trying to blur to different conversations, if the talent evaluators feel the team has a better chance for success with cheap young player Y over expensive vetran player X, then fine. However if they feel expensive vet X is superior they should keep him regardless of the extra million on the cap.

Joey Moss wrote:
@ Ogden Brother:
the way i look at is those 2 players didnt help us at all in making a push last year, so why bank on them to do it this year?
id rather have the opportunity to acquire someone better during the season then get stuck with them from start to finish because some chump on ON decided that team success is directly related to how close teams are to the cap. get real.
Your trying to blur to different conversations, if the talent evaluators feel the team has a better chance for success with cheap young player Y over expensive vetran player X, then fine. However if they feel expensive vet X is superior they should keep him regardless of the extra million on the cap.

@ Word:
you may have a point, but i am of the mind that these players should be cut not only based on salary but on their poor performance. send a message that this team isn't f-ing around and you better play well or you'll be in the AHL or on another squad.

And if that were the intention I would absolutely defer to the coaches/management who know the team dynamic and feel that it's necessary. There has been a pervasive non-effort for some years now, and if bringing in the Quinn Dynasty isn't enough to inject a revitalized attitude, then it could well be that shotgun style housecleaning is needed to send a message.

@ Joey Moss:
But why can’t we just shuffle later to make that cap space? If it’s true that a guys is expendable, why not make him expendable when it’s actually of value.
That’s what I was trying to get at in #6.

Money saved at the start of the season grows as the season progresses.
Example -
1mil saved now is worth 2mil at mid-season.

Money saved at the start of the season grows as the season progresses.
Example –
1mil saved now is worth 2mil at mid-season.

But the converse is true as well. Are you saying that it's worthwhile to ice an inferior squad for half a season and hope that the $4 million player(who is now only a $2 million player for rest of season):

a) becomes available; and
b) will create enough wins in the latter 41 games to offset the losses from the former 41 games?

@ Joey Moss:
Very possible.
And if that were the intention I would absolutely defer to the coaches/management who know the team dynamic and feel that it’s necessary. There has been a pervasive non-effort for some years now, and if bringing in the Quinn Dynasty isn’t enough to inject a revitalized attitude, then it could well be that shotgun style housecleaning is needed to send a message.

Here's what I find interesting though, the guys everyone wants cut (Staios/Moreau/Pisani) are "lots of effort" guys... so it seems kind of wierd to cut them to send a message that "we need more effort.... dont you think?

RossCreek wrote:
Money saved at the start of the season grows as the season progresses.
Example –
1mil saved now is worth 2mil at mid-season.
But the converse is true as well. Are you saying that it’s worthwhile to ice an inferior squad for half a season and hope that the $4 million player(who is now only a $2 million player for rest of season):
a) becomes available; and
b) will create enough wins in the latter 41 games to offset the losses from the former 41 games?

Bingo....also, 95% of the trades are done within a week or so of TDD day meaning:

@ Ogden Brother:
So then, would you agree with me in Nilsson's case - that the 1.4 mil in cap savings (for Stone) is of more value than Nilsson himself, given the benefits of now having room for a 4 mil player at the deadline?

@ Ogden Brother:
So then, would you agree with me in Nilsson’s case – that the 1.4 mil in cap savings (for Stone) is of more value than Nilsson himself, given the benefits of now having room for a 4 mil player at the deadline?

In theory ya, I don't really think we need Nilsson (though as mentioned their is still a decent risk that we could give a competitor a 20 goal/50 point sencond line playmaker). I don't think I'd lose him in order to make room for Stone though, I don't see Stone having a career much longer then 100 games in the NHL. If Nilsson was being waived to make room for JFJ (or for Eberle next year) with the added bonus of banking 1 milly or so in cap space.... then I'd be on board for that.

That was a thoroughly bad choice of words. I didn't mean to call Robin Brownlee an idiot. Obviously it came off that way and I apologize for that. On the contrary, I consider him to be the premier sports writer in town. So, sorry about that Robin.

Maybe its the amount of attention for second raters and bubble boys lately that's got me miffed. Pouliot, Stone, JF... holy crap - who cares?. To me, the team doesn't live or die on the next debate about the dubious abilities of guys like Pouliot or Schremp. What about Gagner, Horcoff, Hemsky, Souray and Visnovsky? The only decent player that's rated any press time here lately is Comrie. That's just bizarre.

What I'm trying to say is that I think we have a superior player in Nilsson who is facing his last chance to play in the NHL. With that sort of motivation and the tools he brings to the table, you'd think that his past year's record would be wiped.

Let the kid prove it or lose it. All I'm trying to figure out is why a player with so much obvious upside is being pushed aside for players that will never be anywhere near his level.

Bottom line for me is is that on a team with desperately few difference makers, why would you give up someone who could (in theory) fill that gaping hole? Seriously, if he put in 25 this year playing with Sam and Cogs we'd be farther ahead than winning a few more faceoffs and crunching a few more bodies on the boards. And he'd be well worth the $2 Million, given that the other guys who scored on that level get paid twice as much. If that's the case, Robert Nilsson makes this team better this year than Marc Pouliot.

RossCreek wrote:
So what are you saying, David S?
OK. That didn’t come off very well.
That was a thoroughly bad choice of words. I didn’t mean to call Robin Brownlee an idiot. Obviously it came off that way and I apologize for that. On the contrary, I consider him to be the premier sports writer in town. So, sorry about that Robin.
Maybe its the amount of attention for second raters and bubble boys lately that’s got me miffed. Pouliot, Stone, JF… holy crap – who cares?. To me, the team doesn’t live or die on the next debate about the dubious abilities of guys like Pouliot or Schremp. What about Gagner, Horcoff, Hemsky, Souray and Visnovsky? The only decent player that’s rated any press time here lately is Comrie. That’s just bizarre.
What I’m trying to say is that I think we have a superior player in Nilsson who is facing his last chance to play in the NHL. With that sort of motivation and the tools he brings to the table, you’d think that his past year’s record would be wiped.
Let the kid prove it or lose it. All I’m trying to figure out is why a player with so much obvious upside is being pushed aside for players that will never be anywhere near his level.
Bottom line for me is is that on a team with desperately few difference makers, why would you give up someone who could (in theory) fill that gaping hole? Seriously, if he put in 25 this year playing with Sam and Cogs we’d be farther ahead than winning a few more faceoffs and crunching a few more bodies on the boards. And he’d be well worth the $2 Million, given that the other guys who scored on that level get paid twice as much. If that’s the case, Robert Nilsson makes this team better this year than Marc Pouliot.

You actually make a compelling case for Nilsson. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Ogden Brother wrote:
You actually make a compelling case for Nilsson. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
Thanks. But at the end of the day Brownlee’s experience and access gives him the edge. I wouldn’t bet against him.

Ogden Brother wrote:
And a colossal disapointment if it’s because we intentionally iced an inferior roster to save a couple million bucks for “maybes”.
Consider that Philly is looking hard at the Peter Forsberg again… i would like to leave as much room as possible to get some new talent

I think the Oilers would be making a big mistake if Nilsson wasn't given a chance to show he belongs in the tops six. I think the Comrie O'Sullivan line might suprise in the DZone and end up being a third line with whoever to play the LW/RW. If Penner or Pisani flank those two theres some defensive responsibility there. Leaving the kid line a chance to get something going again and Moreau ends up on the fourth line with whoever.,,,

I've always felt like the lone supporter of Steve Staios, but I'll throw out an idea here... Staios is of course a 2.7M d-man. Just a couple of days ago, you were talking about Nashville and how they have supposedly been in talks with the Oil about a potential trade. They currently have 6 d-men signed, however they really have an experienced defence... one that probably makes ours look pretty veteran. They just signed Bouillon not long ago, so I think the Oil dropped the ball on that opportunity. But I wouldn't really say he brings that strong of a defensive game either. Perhaps they still could use a vet d-man?? Do you think there is potential here?

Even if the Oilers don't make a trade like that, they still will be able to fit everyone under the cap, but as you pointed out.. that makes things pretty tight. I'm thinking that they should jump on any opportunity to move one (or more) of: Moreau, Pisani, Staios, Nilsson, Pouliot.

I would also suggest that they move Staios in that deal, and look for a more reliable hard-nosed, stay-at-home d-man. They need another dirty son-of-a-bitch on the blueline.

I think Staios needs to get cut Peckham is just as affective on the blue line and for a fraction of the money
Pisini needs to go as well he is a UFA at seasons end and i think Stone is just as good or better, also i would keep schremp ahead of nilsson